Any tips for Australians getting work Visas in Spain?

[Liv]

I'm an Australian (architect) working in London on a working holiday Visa. I'm wanting to move to Madrid with my boyfriend (who is Spanish) in April and was hoping for some tips on getting a temporary residence permit (or a Visa that allows me to stay longer than 90days), which I've just discovered is a lot harder than I imagined.
I've be told I need to go back to Australia to apply for a work visa and also have an official job offer and that the process could take up to 4 months.
I was hoping someone might know a loop hole or have some advice.
Would be greatly greatly appreciated!

[Bevdeforges]

Hi Liv, and welcome to the forum.

I don't have any experience with the Spanish, but what you've been told sounds remarkably like what I was told when trying to get into France to join my (then) boyfriend. At that time, the consulate in Stuttgart would not take a visa application (of any sort) unless you had a job offer (in French) to go with it.

If you had the job offer, you should be able to go through the Spanish consulate in London (based on your residence there). If you are "serious" with this guy, you might want to consider getting married - though even that won't guarantee you a visa (never mind one with immediate working privileges - those often take a year or two of marriage).

Have you looked into your job prospects in Madrid? If you could get an employer seriously interested in hiring you, you might be able to work out the rest of the issues (though the 4 month time frame for processing a visa sounds about right). Wish I had better news -but perhaps one of our Spanish expats will know of other alternatives.
Cheers,
Bev